


A Way Out

by pallysuune



Series: The Son of Tirragen [1]
Category: Tortall - Tamora Pierce
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, M/M, Minor Character Death, Unhealthy Relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-09
Updated: 2019-10-09
Packaged: 2020-11-28 03:21:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 985
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20959610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pallysuune/pseuds/pallysuune
Summary: Roger is dead and Alanna refuses to let Alex drown.





	A Way Out

**Author's Note:**

> None of the characters belong to me. I just like writing with them.

Looking back, it was difficult to pinpoint where everything things had really changed. But, he was fairly sure it had started long before he had ever been picked as Roger’s squire. Maybe before he’d even become a squire at all. The need to be the best, to find acceptance. His father had been distant, and barely paid any attention to him unless he did something exceptional. Which he never managed in the man’s eyes. And then he’d been passed over as a squire, with no Knight Master interested in taking him on despite his skill with swords. He tried, but again and again, he seemed to fall short.

And then Roger came along. 

Despite the fact that Alex had no Gift, Roger saw something in him that was worth taking under his wing. Maybe, thinking about it, what he had seen was that need for approval that made him easy to manipulate. He made Alex feel special and important. 

He remembered the night Roger whispered his plans to him, tucked close to his chest, tangled in the sheets of his bed. It had seemed surreal then. Alex’s thoughts hadn’t been that this was treason, but that rush of pride that came from realizing Roger trusted him.

But Roger was dead. Alan - Alanna - killed him.

He’d been furious, broken, anguished and then… nothing. The court was thrown into a tizzy about the reveal that Alanna had pretended to be a boy for so long. Alex didn’t particularly care about that. She’d shown she was just as good as the rest of them. He’d dueled her, he’d seen her in war, in her lessons. She was a good knight, a good archer, a good fencer. Those were things that couldn’t be faked. She’d come through the Ordeal, and the Chamber couldn’t be fooled. Those who claimed she’d cheated somehow were just bitter people. Those who hated it when they were proven wrong about things they thought immutable. They thought a woman couldn’t be a knight. She proved them wrong, and so they hated her. 

No, Alex didn’t care at all what sex Alanna was. He cared that she had killed Roger. And he cared that he could feel the man’s magic come unraveled in his own mind. Spells to persuade him, to keep him idolizing, to make him forget things. The veil that Roger had used to keep others from suspecting him didn’t apply to Alex, but there were other enchantments, other things he’d done, and it made him question everything. Every word of praise, every encouragement, every subtle and careful barb about his old friends that drove him farther from them. 

Alex had not seen Alanna since that night. 

He didn’t expect to see her, either, but as he sat on the edge of the well out behind the palace kitchen, ignoring the wind that whipped color into his cheeks, he caught sight of a mess of red hair sticking out from a heavy cloak and winding scarf. He frowned slightly, expecting her to pass by, but she paused, then made a bee line for where he sat, stopping only when she was right before him. He could barely see her eyes peeking out from all the fabric she had wrapped around her. 

“Alex, I-”

He held up a hand, stopping her before she even got started. He couldn’t even imagine she’d apologize for what happened. She was probably about to launch into some sort of tirade about how she’d done the right thing and he was a fool for not seeing it. Or worse, questioning if he was a traitor, too. Plenty of other people had been doing just that these last few days, side eyeing him and whispering. He was Roger’s squire, after all. And they were right, of course. He’d known and, at best, done nothing to stop it. At worst, it could be argued that he’d encouraged and assisted by remaining by Roger’s side, though he had done no spells and raised no knives. The fact of the matter was, he’d been loyal to Roger, because he loved Roger, not because he thought he’d be a better king than Roald or Jonathan. And now that Roger was dead, it wasn’t as though Alex had any reason to continue his plans.

Alanna did stop when he raised his hand, and she watched him critically for a long time. “They’re questioning how much you knew,” she said flatly. Alex just shrugged and glanced away. The silence stretched between them for a long moment before she seemed to come to a decision, squaring her shoulders in that stubborn way Alex was familiar with from knowing her for so long. “Come with me?”

“What?” His head snapped back to her, a frown creasing his brows. She couldn’t have said what he thought she did. It wasn’t fathomable. 

“Come with me.” 

Apparently, she had said what he’d heard. He just frowned, looking at her bewilderedly. 

She huffed, her breath pluming out in the cold air as she glanced away. “We were friends once. I think without Roger, we would have still been friends. We both need to get away from Court, so come with me.” 

“You’re not joking.” All he could do was stare at her. 

That stubborn glare was focused on him again, and he didn’t think all of the pink in her cheeks was from the cold. “Of course I’m not, but if you don’t want to go, just say so.” 

Alex looked into those glaring eyes for a long moment. She had killed the man he loved, had lied to them all for years. They had fought together, dueled against each other, butted heads. She had taken from him two of the only things that mattered - Roger, and the place as the best fencer. 

He was aimless, and she was offering him an out. 

A small smile touched his lips. “Where are we going?”


End file.
